Nightlife in Sri Lanka’s major cities is to be given a boost to attract more tourists, including night clubs, food festivals, concerts, exhibitions, and relaxed liquor sales around the clock.

Said Tourism Minister Diana Gamage recently: “In our country, tourists stay at their hotels after 10 pm as they have no entertainment activities to engage in after that time.

“There are limited ways of earning US dollars in locations such as Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa. The tourists only pay for the ticket and for the accommodation.

“Therefore, we should think of ways to create more opportunities for them to spend money here.”

She said that programmes such as gem exhibitions, street food festivals, and musical and cultural shows can be held in major cities including Colombo.

In addition, the limitations imposed on the sale of liquor should be removed, as most of the purposes of such limitations are not relevant to tourists.

“Due to such limitations, she said, even locals who are financially able tend to travel to locations such as Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Maldives, spending more money there.”

She noted that with the winter season most here, “steps should therefore be taken to implement these programmes at least by the coming December.”